Bulk inventory upload creates or updates the property's item catalogue from CSV or Excel (.xlsx). It requires permission to manage inventory, access to Inventory. Committing any supplied current_quantity, including zero, also requires permission to adjust stock. Review both item and stock-change permissions with your manager before importing opening quantities.

Steps

  1. Open Inventory → Items and setup → Items & locations for the selected property, then choose Import items.

  2. Choose Download CSV template and replace the sample rows with your items. Keep the template headers; supply name, SKU, category, unit, unit cost and reorder level. Use one row per SKU. For a catalogue-only import, leave current_quantity blank, including the zeroes supplied in the sample. Fill an active location or location_id in this property when setting a balance; a blank location defaults to Main Store.

  3. Choose the completed.csv or.xlsx file. Enable Update existing items with matching SKUs only when you intend to update those items; an existing SKU otherwise blocks the import. New SKUs create items. Leave Force base-unit changes off for items with inventory history: forcing a change reinterprets existing ledger quantities in the uploaded unit.

  4. Choose Preview and review every row's create/update action, quantities, locations, units, errors and warnings. Fix the source file and preview it again after changes. Invalid rows block the import. When stock-period settings are active, a quantity change also needs an open period for the location; resolve a missing-period message before retrying.

  5. Choose Import for the reviewed file and options. Confirm the created/updated counts and inspect the resulting items and location balances in Check stock. If the result is interrupted or a SKU changed concurrently, check the saved records and preview again before retrying.

current_quantity is the target balance at that location. If 10 kg is recorded and the file contains 5, importing sets the balance to 5 kg and records a −5 kg adjustment. An explicit zero sets it to zero; a blank quantity leaves an existing balance unchanged and starts a new item at zero. Catalogue fields such as unit cost still update when an existing SKU is updated.

These balance changes apply immediately on a successful import and do not wait for a second person's replenishment approval. For a new delivery that should add stock after approval, use Replenish Inventory and its CSV or paste inputs. That workflow adds the approved quantities, records a receipt, and keeps stock unchanged while the request is pending.